Ierusalima of Beroea

Holy Martyr Ierusalima of Beroea was born at Alexandria in the time of Emperor Probus (276-282). After the death of her husband, she distributed her property and set out with her sons Secundus, Secundicus and Segor to preach the Gospel in various cities. After staying some time in Rome, she went to the Macedonian city of Edessa. There a priest received her into the monastic life. Because Holy Ierusalima brought many inhabitants of the city of Beroea out of the darkness of paganism, the commandant of Thessalonica, Cindianus, came there and summoned the saint with her children before him.

Seeing their unshaken faith in the one true God, he ordered Segor laid on a gridiron and red-⁠hot iron rods drawn through his nostrils. The holy martyr did not waver in faith for a moment and gave his soul to God. Then his brother Secundus was hoisted on the rack, scourged with rods and a red-⁠hot metal helmet put on his head. After he too bravely received the martyr's end, Secundicus was tied to the tails of heated horses. Holy Ierusalima bore the torments of her sons with the firmness of the mother of the Maccabees.

Then her turn came to endure terrible tortures. Her sides were torn with iron hooks, but she remained unharmed. After this Cindianus ordered her beheaded. At night pious Christians took the bodies of the holy martyrs and buried them south of the city. On that place a church was later raised in honour of Holy Ierusalima and her sons, in which the inhabitants of Beroea saw many miracles. This church was demolished shortly before 1908.

She is commemorated on 17 September (new style). She is not in the present calendar of the Russian Church.